Tarragon is the beauty of an herb and the beauty of a word (derived, in this case, from the French tarragon). One of those English words that sing as you say. When using tarragon in a sauce, you don’t have to fiddle around with too many other ingredients. It’s the tarragon you want to sing in this sauce like it does when tripping over your tongue. I find that a little mustard balances well with the tarragon without masking it, and the dry white wine adds depth to the flavor.
Ingredients
2 Cape salmon fillets (geelbek), skin on
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
½ cup of dry white wine
1 cup of cream
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of fresh tarragon, finely chopped
Salt and white pepper to taste
Method
First prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently sauté the onion until translucent. Add the white wine and tarragon and reduce by two-thirds. Stir in the mustard and pour in the cream. Bring to a boil and cook gently until the sauce thickens and enriches. Season with salt and white pepper to taste and cook for a further minute or two.
Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan or skillet and add the oil. Fry the fillets skin side down until cooked in the center, then flip them for a few more minutes. They should be slightly below in the center for the perfection of the fish. Serve with the tarragon sauce topped on the side. A few crispy chips wouldn’t hurt. DM / TGIFood
Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Writer of the Year 2021. His book, foodSTUFF, is now available in the DM Shop. Buy it here.
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